Greek Food Find

              Quick Stop, Lindstrom, MN - photo by Rob M. @ yelp.com

Tabbouleh - photo by Paula Elert

Greek food in the land of Swedes? You bet your sweet falafel. Of all places, you can find fresh and delicious Greek food at the Quick Stop gas station located in Lindstrom, Minnesota. Zafir, known as "Zak", is the genius behind the food, cooking up amazing Greek Food in a most unlikely place. You can find fresh gyros (he cooks and cuts the lamb right there), falafel, hummus, dolmades...and my favorite...TABBOULEH made with the freshest cilantro, lemon juice, scallions, and bulgar around. If you're not a Greek food fan the burgers are pretty great too. This place is definitely a hidden gem of Eastern Minnesota and a must try if your driving through, so be sure to stop and say "hi" to Zak (he's a lot of fun).


Quick Stop
30660 Lincoln Rd
Lindstrom, MN 55045
651-257-7911

Florida Crab Claws in western Wisconsin?

Exciting news -- STONE CRAB CLAWS, my favorite thing to eat in the whole world, can now be found a few miles away from my western Wisconsin home (rather than the usual 1,800 miles away). Stone crab claws are unlike their cousin, the snow crab, in the firmness category - they boast flavorful, delicate, super flakey meat which is simply delicious. This Florida Keys favorite is now in stock at Polar Pete's in Saint Croix Falls (www.polarpeteswi.com). I believe they run about $7.99 a pound, but give them a call to double check. Stone crab is usually a pricey delicacy and is in season from October to May, so this is considered a winter and spring treat. For the most part you can’t find it up north...until now.

So what is a stone crab you ask? Stone crab claws come from the stone crab itself, and are just the claws of the crab (one claw is removed and the crab is returned to the ocean to regenerate it). The name "stone" is in reference to hardness of their shell, in which you'll need a mallet to break through.

I like to serve stone crab with a lemon mayo dill sauce to dip it in, which is a common way to serve it in The Keys. Once the crab is cooked, you chill it down and serve it cold. As mentioned, you’ll need a mallet of some sort to break through the hard shell of the claws (usually wooden mallets made specifically for this purpose are used, but a meat tenderizing mallet will do), along with thin seafood forks to get every last bit of the flakey meat out of the shell. Make sure to set your table with an empty bowl for shells as well as napkins and damp towels. Stone crab is deliciously messy. Serve with a side of rice pilaf and enjoy a simple yet delectable meal.

Lemon Mayo Dill Sauce
(Serves 2)
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp dill
juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Spices, Spices, Spices!

In an attempt to cure the winter blues (the winter of 2014 has seemed like the longest ever), my husband and I took a mini vacation with some friends and spent the weekend in Stillwater, MN. Always on the lookout for a fabulous foodie find, we came across an exciting new spice shop called "Spice & Tea Co.", adding to the smattering of hip shops that Stillwater is known for.

The owner, Nancy Figueroa, offers a large, unique selection of spices, herbs, hand mixed blends, specialty teas and coffees. Her selection is the freshest and finest I've ever seen. Some of my favorites include flavored salts like lime fusion salt (adds zip to your guacamole or makes a great margarita rimmer), espresso fusion salt (great in mole sauce or sprinkled on homemade chocolate candy), ghost pepper fusion salt (I love this on my eggs). 

All of her offerings are displayed on the wall in large glass jars where you can open and smell the aroma of the product and sample a taste that I promise will inspire and awaken your creativity.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert in the kitchen, Nancy will guide you in your cooking adventures. She loves helping customers expand their menu and introduce new tastes from around the world. The philosophy at Spice & Tea Co. is to make food fun and delicious. Amen!

Check out the shops website for inspiration: myspiceandteaco.com

Spice & Tea Co.
212 South Main Street
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-351-5155